Chicago Events

Join Mercy For Animals as we table at Northalsted Market Days. Tens of thousands of people from across the country will converge on Halsted Street to celebrate this 29th annual event, the largest two-day street fair in the Midwest! This event is sure to live up to its reputation as one of the country's finest festivals!

We're looking for volunteers on both Saturday and Sunday (12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.). You can work an 8 or 4-hour shift.

The festival is a wonderful opportunity to educate the Chicago community about the work Mercy For Animals does and about how to help the animals!

To volunteer for this event, please email MFA's Outreach Coordinator, Mikael Nielsen, or call 847-756-0524. An RSVP is required to volunteer.

Where: Halsted St. (from Belmont Ave. to Addison St.), Chicago
When: Saturday, August 7, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

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The vegetarian diet has gone mainstream! Do you know that each year over a million Americans become vegetarian? Why is this trend growing so fast? It's because being vegetarian is compassionate towards animals, healthy, and good for the planet.

If you would like to be vegetarian but you don't know how to begin, Veggie Fest is a great place to start! Come to hear the latest research about the vegetarian diet and health, or come if you just want to have a good time! Admission is free. 

Sample tasty veg food, check out the live entertainment, the children's programs, or a keynote speaker, and stop by MFA's booth to pick up some information or to get your own MFA T-shirt.

We're looking for volunteers to help out at this incredible event from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m on Saturday,  and 11:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m on Sunday, and also before and after these times for set up and close down. You can work a full or partial shift.

To volunteer, please email MFA's Chicago Campaign Coordinator, Kenny Torrella, or call 773-971-3895. An RSVP is required to volunteer.

Where: Science of Spirituality grounds, 4S175 Naperville Road, Naperville
When: Saturday, August 7, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

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The vegetarian diet has gone mainstream! Do you know that each year over a million Americans become vegetarian? Why is this trend growing so fast? It's because being vegetarian is compassionate towards animals, healthy, and good for the planet.

If you would like to be vegetarian but you don't know how to begin, Veggie Fest is a great place to start! Come to hear the latest research about the vegetarian diet and health, or come if you just want to have a good time! Admission is free. 

Sample tasty veg food, check out the live entertainment, the children's programs, or a keynote speaker, and stop by MFA's booth to pick up some information or to get your own MFA T-shirt.

We're looking for volunteers to help out at this incredible event from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m on Saturday,  and 11:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m on Sunday, and also before and after these times for set up and close down. You can work a full or partial shift.

To volunteer, please email MFA's Chicago Campaign Coordinator, Kenny Torrella, or call 773-971-3895. An RSVP is required to volunteer.

Where: Science of Spirituality grounds, 4S175 Naperville Road, Naperville
When: Sunday, August 8, 2010 at 11 a.m to 8 p.m.

>> Add event to Google Calendar

Join Mercy For Animals as we table at Northalsted Market Days. Tens of thousands of people from across the country will converge on Halsted Street to celebrate this 29th annual event, the largest two-day street fair in the Midwest! This event is sure to live up to its reputation as one of the country's finest festivals!

We're looking for volunteers on both Saturday and Sunday (12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.), and before and after these times for set-up and take-down. You can work a full or partial shift.

The festival is a wonderful opportunity to educate the Chicago community about the work Mercy For Animals does and about how to help the animals!

To volunteer for this event, please email MFA's Outreach Coordinator, Mikael Nielsen, or call 847-756-0524. An RSVP is required to volunteer.

Where: Halsted St. (from Belmont Ave. to Addison St.), Chicago
When: Sunday, August 8, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

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Making delicious vegan food free and accessible to all is the best way for those interested in a compassionate lifestyle to see how easy it is to choose vegan!

White Sox baseball games at U.S. Cellular Field are a fun tradition for Chicagoans during the summer. We will be serving free, delicious vegan samples of ball park favorites, such as hot dogs and cheeseburgers. Not only will ball game fans and passersby have the opportunity to try out compassionate versions of classic foods, but also to find out more about vegetarian options regularly available at U.S. Cellular Field and across the city.

Join us at this welcoming and friendly event, as we introduce people to delicious vegan food and hand out Compassionate Choices leaflets and Vegetarian Starter Kits. To find us, look for a group with a colorful, "Enjoy Free Vegan Samples" banner. It is recommended that you call the organizer to find us more easily. Many volunteers are needed for this event.

For more information about this event, please contact Darina Smith at DarinaS@MercyForAnimals.org or call 773.965.1001. An RSVP is not required, but it will help us determine the correct number of leaflets to bring. We will also notify you if we have to cancel the event due to bad weather (or you can call the day of the event to confirm).

If this is your first time at a vegan feed-in event, you can keep it at whatever level you want. You can jump right in and secure your own street corner, help hold our banner or you can leaflet directly with one of the experienced members until you feel comfortable.

Where: U.S. Cellular Field (corner of W. 35th St. and S. Wentworth Ave.), Chicago
When: Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

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Please join us in leafleting the shoppers and tourists on Michigan Avenue! During the summer months many young people congregate in this area, making it fertile ground for effective outreach. 

Leafleting with literature on factory farming has been proven effective in creating new vegans and vegetarians, and convincing others to reduce their consumption of animal products. Let's be really conservative and assume that only 1% of the people who receive a brochure will decide to go vegan after reading it. If you pass out 100 leaflets in an hour, that's at least one new person who became vegan. Since the average vegan spares over 50 animals per year (about 35 land animals, and many more sea animals), that's 50 lives saved. How many other activities can you think of that just about anybody can do, which can save at least 50 lives in just an hour?

Inspired? Then join us in educating the public about animals suffering on factory farms. Together we can inspire others to spare thousands, if not millions, of animals, and ultimately create a more compassionate society.

If this is your first time leafleting, you can keep it at whatever level you want. You can jump right in and secure your own street corner, or you can leaflet directly with one of the experienced members until you feel comfortable.

For more information on this event, please email Leslie Patterson or call 773.308.4894. An RSVP is not required, but it will help us determine the correct number of leaflets to bring. We will also notify you if we have to cancel the event due to bad weather. We will be leafleting for about 1 1/2 hours.

Where: 830 N. Michigan Avenue
When: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

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Mercy For Animals will be a proud exhibitor at the highly popular, already sold-out Body Mind Spirit Expo in Skokie. This 2-day event will be held on Saturday, August 21st & Sunday, August 22nd.

We will table with eye-opening, free resources for anyone interested in the healthy, ethically responsible vegan diet. We will offer free Compassionate Choices, Vegetarian Starter Kits, Veg Restaurant Guides to Illinois, recipe and nutrition booklets, and other resources. We will also serve free samples of delicious vegan food, as well as sell MFA merchandise.

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to staff the table on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and/or Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and before and after these times for set-up and take-down. Volunteers able to work at least a half-day shift are preferred. To volunteer for this event, please contact MFA's Outreach Coordinator, Darina Smith at DarinaS@MercyForAnimals.org or call 773.965.1001.

Where: North Shore Performing Arts Center, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie
When: Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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Mercy For Animals will be a proud exhibitor at the highly popular, already sold-out Body Mind Spirit Expo in Skokie. This 2-day event will be held on Saturday, August 21st & Sunday, August 22nd.

We will table with eye-opening, free resources for anyone interested in the healthy, ethically responsible vegan diet. We will offer free Compassionate Choices, Vegetarian Starter Kits, Veg Restaurant Guides to Illinois, recipe and nutrition booklets, and other resources. We will also serve free samples of delicious vegan food, as well as sell MFA merchandise.

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to staff the table on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and/or Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and before and after these times for set-up and take-down. Volunteers able to work at least a half-day shift are preferred. To volunteer for this event, please contact MFA's Outreach Coordinator, Darina Smith at DarinaS@MercyForAnimals.org or call 773.965.1001.

Where: North Shore Performing Arts Center, 9501 Skokie Blvd.
When: Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

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Join us in helping animals by promoting a vegan diet to our most promising audience - college students!

Compared to the general population, young people are more likely to be open to learning, compassion and change. Over the years their dietary choices can spare thousands of animals from lives of suffering and brutal death. By reaching them now with our high-quality literature on the treatment of farmed animals, we can encourage the spread of veganism among the young and create real change for the animals in our society.  We will hand out Compassionate Choices leaflets and free Vegetarian Starter Kits.

For more information on this event, please contact Leslie at LeslieP@MercyForAnimals.org or 773.308.4894. An RSVP is not required, but it will help us determine the correct number of leaflets to bring. We will also notify you if we have to cancel the event due to bad weather.

To find us at the event look for Leslie, who will be wearing a Mercy For Animals messenger bag or call 773.308.4894.

Where: 30 E. Lake, Chicago
When: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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Join Chicagoland animal advocates as we "walk the talk" for farmed animals at Farm Sanctuary's Chicago Walk For Farm Animals. We'd love to see you there!

The Walk will be held on Saturday, October 2nd (World Farm Animals Day) and is expected to take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours from start to finish. Our route will take us from N. Wells St. up through the Gold Coast neighborhood and then down the length of the Magnificent Mile.

Check-in and t-shirt distribution begin at 10:30 a.m. The Walk begins at 11:30 a.m.

To register for the Walk online visit www.firstgiving.com/farmsanctuary and click on the "Get Started" button, then follow the instructions to register. Walkers who register at least three weeks in advance will receive a Walk For Farm Animals t-shirt.

To register for the Walk by mail, or for more information, email coordinators Brooke and Shalesh or call Brooke at 847.733.9085. 

There is a vegan lunch planned for after the Walk at Karyn's Conscious Comfort Foods located at 738 N. Wells St. (the start and end point of the Walk) Menu is prix fixe and advance payment is required. Email or call Brooke at 847.733.9085 for details about lunch at Karyn's.

Please note that this is a courtesy event listing, not a Mercy For Animals event.

Where: 738 N. Wells St. (outside Karyn's restaurant), Chicago
When: Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 10:30 a.m.

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Chicago Vegan Mania is a celebration of Chicago's vegan community, culture, commerce, cuisine and couture. The first Vegan Mania celebration took place in October 2009 and drew over 1,500 enthusiastic guests to sample food from Chicago's best vegan restaurants, listen to leading vegan speakers, enjoy exciting live music and dance, and peruse a fashion exhibit, art show and dozens of vendors showing off the latest and best vegan products, services and organizations.

Get ready for Chicago Vegan Mania 2010! The second annual festival will be held on Saturday, October 9, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Pulaski Park Fieldhouse in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. This year's Chicago Vegan Mania event is expected to draw over 2,500 visitors.

Mercy For Animals will be exhibiting at Chicago Vegan Mania! We need volunteers to help with this exciting event. If interested, please email Kenny.

Where: Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, 1419 W. Blackhawk St., Chicago
When: Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

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